And this consideration of the person of Christ — namely, as he is God and man — in our acting of faith on him, is that which renders it peculiar, and limits or determines it unto his person, because he only is so; — the Father is not, nor the Holy Spirit. That faith which hath the person of God and man for its object, is peculiarly and distinctly placed on Christ.
(odly,) The motives unto this distinct acting of faith on his person are always to be considered as those also which render this faith peculiar. For the things which Christ hath done for us, which are the motives of our faith in him, were peculiar unto him alone ; as in the place before quoted, Gal. ii. 20. Such are all the works of his mediation, with all the fruits of them, whereof we are made partakers. So God, in the first command, wherein he requires all faith, love, and obedience from the church, enforced it with the consideration of a signal benefit which it had received, and therein a type of all spiritual and eternal mercies, Exod. xx. 2, 3. Hence two things are evident, which clearly state this matter.
[1st,] That faith which we place upon and the honour which we give thereby unto the person of Christ, is equally placed on and honour equally given thereby unto the other persons of the Father
132 THE PERSON OF CHRIST.
and the Holy Spirit, with respect unto that nature which is the formal reason and cause of it. But it is peculiarly fixed on Christ, with respect unto his person as God and man, and the motives unto it, in the acts and benefits of his mediation.
[2dly,^ All of Christ is considered and glorified in this acting of faith on him ; — his divine nature, as the formal cause of it ; his divine entire person, God and man, as its proper object; and the benefits of his mediation, as the especial motives thereunto.
This faith in the person of Christ is the spring and fountain of our spiritual life. We live by the faith of the Son of God. In and by the actings hereof is it preserved, increased, and strengthened. " For he is our life," Col. iii. 4 ; and all supplies of it are derived from him, by the actings of faith in him. We receive the forgiveness of sins, and an inheritance among them that are sanctified, " by the faith that is in him," Acts xxvi. 18. Hereby do we abide in him; without which we can do nothing, John xv. 5. Hereby is our peace with God maintained — "For he is our peace," Eph. ii. 14; and in him we have peace, according to his promise, John xvi. 33, All strength for the mortification of sin, for the conquest of tempta- tions— all our increase and growth in gi-ace — depend on the con- stant actings of this faith in him.
The way and method of this faith is that which we have described. A due apprehension of the love of Christ, with the effects of it in his whole mediatory work on our behalf — especially in his giving himself for us, and our redemption by his blood — is the great motive there- unto. They whose hearts are not deeply affected herewith, can never believe in him in a due manner. " I live," saith the apostle, " by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me." Unless a sense hereof be firmly unplanted in ovir souls, unless we are deeply affected with it, our faith in him would be weak and wavering, or rather none at all. The due remembrance of what the blessed Lord Jesus hath done for us, of the ineffable love which was the spring, cause, and fountain of what he so did — thoughts of the mercy, grace, peace, and glory which he hath procured thereby — are the great and unconquerable motives to fix our faith, hope, tinist, and confidence in him.
His divine nature is the ground and warranty for our so doing. This is that from whence he is the due and proper object of all divine faith and worship. From the power and virtue thereof do we expect and receive all those things which in our believmg on him we seek after; for none but God can bestow them on us, or work them in us. There is in all the actings of our faith on him, the voice of the confession of Thomas, " My Lord and my God."
His divine person, wherein he is God and man, wherein he hatli
THE NATURE OF FAITH ON THE PERSON OF CHRIST. 133
that nature which is the foniial object of divine worship, and wherein he wrought all those things which are the motives thereunto, is the object of this faith; which gives its difference and distinction from faith in God in general, and faith in the person of the Father, as the fountain of gi'ace, love, and power.
Secondly, Faith is acted on Christ under the formal notion of mediator bettueen God and man. So it is expressed, -1 Peter i. 21, " Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God." And this acting of faith towards Christ is not contrary unto that before described, nor inconsistent with it, though it be distinct from it. To deny the person of Christ to fall under this double conside- ration— of a divine person absolutely, wherein he is " over all, God blessed for ever," and, as manifested in the flesh, exercising the office of mediator between God and man — is to renounce the Gospel. And according unto the variety of these respects, so are the actings of faith various; some on him absolutely, on the motives of his mediation ; some on him as mediator only. And how necessary this variety is unto the life, supportment, and comfort of believers, they all know in some measure who are so. See our exposition on Heb. i. 1-3. Sometimes faith considers him as on the throne ; sometimes as standing at the right hand of God; sometimes as the mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus. Sometimes his glorious power, sometimes his infinite condescension, is their relief